Coach platform-gear.



Hm-717,690. V PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

1 J. KNAPP.

COACH PLATFORM GEAR. APPLICATION run 1&4, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

6 3 f B o 1 l7 d 0 (A L G d a E" G? G r K! e q 2 o e H r Wzfngasea In06R fiv V UNITED STATES JACOB KNAPP, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO SEOHLER PATENT OFFICE.

& COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

COACH PLATFO RM-G EAR.

SPECIFICATION forming'part of Letters Patent No. 717,690, dated January6, 1903. Application filed August 4, 1902. Serial No. 118,298. (Nomodel.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAGOBKNAEP, a citizen of the United States, residingin Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ooach Platform-Gears, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the ac companying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to platform-gears for coaches; and it consists ofcertain improvements in the construction of such platformgears, to behereinafter particularly pointed out and claimed, whereby an exceedinglydurable and rigid structure can be obtained capable of withstanding thestrains to which it must be subjected and which at the same time shallpossess the necessary qualities of lightness and neatnessof appearance.It has been customary heretofore to construct such coach-platforms byprovidinga truss of two bow-shaped metal braces supported at the ends onthe coach-springs and carrying at the middle portion the lower or fixedfifth-wheel plate riveted thereto. The method of securing these bracesto the springs, however, has

been to weld T arms or plates to the braces.

and by clips to secure the T- plates to the springs.

My improvement in this particular relates to the means devised forsecuring the braces to the springs, whereby the necessity of any weldingis dispensed with and the braces are readily and easily secured to thesprings by bolts or clips.

A second feature of my improvements consists in adding strength andrigidity to the structure by means of a cross-brace connecting togetherthe outer ends of the draw-bars and which cross-brace also prevents thebreaking of the draw-bars under the strains to which they are subjected.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the platform-gear Fig. 2 isa front view of same, and Fig. 3 is a side view.

Ais the front airle,and B B the front springs, for the vehicle.

0 C are a pair of bowed metal braces, at the middle portion of which issecurely riveted the lower fifth-wheel plate D.

E is the central brace for the fifth-wheel plate, provided with anopening F at the center for the king-bolt. This brace E is preferablymade up of an upper plate 0:, riveted at the ends to the bow-shapedbraces, and a bottom plate 1), extending across from one side and whichcarry integral therewith the forwardly-extending arms or draw-bars H H.These caps fit over and entirely inclose and hold securely the outerends of the braces C O, and the caps and braces are rigidly secured tothe springs B B by bolts 61 d, which pass down through openings drilledin the springs and by theclips e e, or bolts may be substituted for theclips or clips for the bolts.

L is the step-bracket, carrying at its outer end the step f, and thisstep-bracket is secured to the under surface of the spring by the samebolts cl d used-for the cap G. The entire body of the step-bracket, itwill be seen, is placed outside the springs, so that it will not be inthe way when the springs are compressed, and two legs are provided onthe step-bracket to receive the bolts.

M is a cross-brace, preferably of wood, extending across between theouter ends of the arms H H and secured thereto by the clips g, whichalso serve as the shaft-shackles for the shafts of the vehicle. Thiscross-brace M gives the necessary strength and rigidity to the entireplatform structure and prevents the breaking off of the arms H Hunder.the strains to which they are subjected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is p In a coach platform-gear, the combination withthe springs of a pair of bow-shaped braces, with lower fifth-Wheel plateriveted to the middle portion thereof, caps to fit over and entirelyinclose the outer ends of said braces, means for securing said caps andbraces rigidly to the upper middle portion of the springs, draw-barsintegral with said caps, and a cross-brace connecting the outer ends ofsaid arms to brace and give rigidity to the entire platform,substantially as shown and described.

JACOB KNAPP.

Witnesses:

ELSIE G. SEAMER, W. S. KYLE.

